


Sometimes we just need a reason to say it

by cupcakesandfanfics



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Cuties, Fluff, M/M, One Shot, Random ass fluff, literally just fluff, ziall, ziall one shot - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-14
Updated: 2014-01-14
Packaged: 2018-01-08 18:42:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1136102
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cupcakesandfanfics/pseuds/cupcakesandfanfics
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I saw this one gif of Niall looking all concerned and I decided that I had to write a one shot about him and Zayn because it just needed to happen</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sometimes we just need a reason to say it

 

 

 

It was stupid really, Niall thinks back.

One minute Zayn was fine, weaving in between the opposing teams defense with a speed that was both dazzling and dizzying, the next minute he’s on the ground.

It’s not hard to pinpoint the exact moment either, they play frame by frame like a movie projector that doesn’t quite work. “I love you, Zayn!” Niall cheered from the sidelines. It kind of slipped out.

The moment the boy’s name dropped from his mouth, Zayn spun his head to the crowd, recognizing the voice. He searched the faces, eyes stopping on Niall’s, then he hit the ground.

Zayn’s heart had provided the distraction long enough to be tackled by a thick middled brown haired boy; the fury of almost losing the match powering his steps.

Stupid. Stupid. So stupid.

You wouldn’t go rushing into an ER, would you? Slamming on the door of the nearest surgery, proclaiming love, mid incision.

"I would have been able to keep my cool if I didn't hear the thud from across the field." Niall pouted dramatically, a little embarrassed.

"You were on top of me, mate, before I even knew what hurt!" Zayn laughed in increment pauses throughout the sentence.

That’s true. No exaggeration there, Niall thought, smiling sheepishly.

He was just so big, Jesus, and Zayn is so thin- really a lovely kind of thin, that makes you smile when you can hug somebody and wrap your arms all the way around them, mashing your bodies together- but thin none the less. He was tossed farther in a minute than the ball had gone all match.

Niall’s face fell. Breathing, heart rate, just about every bodily function paused as his brain devoted the entirety of it’s power trying to figure out what had just happened, and once it did the boy was in a full on sprint towards his friend.

Dropping to his knees and sliding in like a baseball player to home, Niall was beside him. Hands hovering. “Zayn?! Zayn! Are you all right?”

A breathless sob cracked in Zayn’s throat, and a desperate gasp. He pounded the field with his fist “Fucking Christ, my knee.” Zayn’s limbs shuffled about on the grass, a baby trying to crawl.

"Don’t try to get up!" Niall pleaded. He motioned to the side lines for assistance.

 

"You shouldn’t beat yourself up about it." Zayn said, smiling.

"How can I not? It was my fault you turned your head and my fault you-"

“I know, I know. You told me in the car over here.”

"But!" Niall protested.

"And during registration" Zayn continued. "And while they were putting on the cast"

Niall looked to the plastered leg, elevated by wires, wincing,

"Listen to me, all right? It’s. Not. Your. Fault." His eyes shined honesty, but Niall couldn’t believe the words.

The blonde haired boy frowned slumping against Zayn’s shoulder, head on his chest. “It was supposed to be a charity match, Zayn.” He sighed. “Something easy, fun.”

Zayn ran a hand through the boy’s hair, petting and playing with it. His dark skin in the white strands like two pieces to a dish of Neapolitan ice cream.

They sat in silence, both bodies moving in rhythm with the rise and fall of Zayn’s chest.

"Did you mean it? What you said on the field?" Zayn asked absently, his voice a little dry.

"That I’m sorry? Of course I’m sorry, Zayn.."

He rolled his eyes. “No, I said it’s not your- nevermind. I meant, what you shouted.”

Niall lifted his head up, retreating into himself. “You mean.. uhm.” he twiddled his thumbs, looking between the boy and the floor. “That I loved you? Is that what I shouted?”

"Yeah." Zayn said cool. His earthly brown eyes soft and mushy liked mud Niall would get stuck in. Did get stuck in.

Niall broke the stare like gaze. “Yeah. I meant it. I guess I let the game get a hold of me.”

"Ah." Zayn said. Looking away. "That’s what you meant."

Niall blinked twice. “What? What I meant? What did you think I meant?”

Zayn thinks if he could roll over or even walk he probably would right now. Make up some lame excuse why he had to end the conversation right there. It probably wouldn’t even make sense. Those kinds of excuses usually don’t.

"Oh, I’ve got to. Erm, I’ve got. You know what, I’m suddenly just starving, I’ll catch up with you, man." Zayn had said once, walking- realistically it was like a trott- away from his friend. He can’t remember what they were talking about at the time. Zayn curses the memory, mentally slamming his face into his palm for that embarrassing bit of social grace.

"Nothing, nothing, I thought.. something else." Zayn mumbled. Crossing his arms over his chest. It was the closest he could get to running away while confined to a bed.

A hand drifted down his own forearm “You thought I meant the other kind?”

Zayn considered his words for a moment, blood bubbling. “Is that so wrong?!” He blurted out. Not angry, but a little frustrated. Mostly because the words were pushed out of him, because he had nothing else to say.

Niall Smiled. “No. It’s not.” he laughed a little. Zayn refused to look him in the eyes now.

"You thought I came to your game when all the other boys were busy because I just wanted to watch you?" His fingers traced the ink shapes on Zayn’s skin. "That I sprinted on the field because I desperately needed to know you were okay?"

Zayn could feel Niall’s blue eyes on his face, like the cold waters within called out.

"That I rode in the van with you, and have remained by your side for a total of what? Four, five hours now? Simply, and solely, because I love you?"

"Are you done making fun of me?"

Niall giggled. “I’m not making fun of you.”

Zayn glared at him finally.

"I’m just checking if you got your facts straight."

The heat boiled off Zayn’s cheeks. “Facts? what?”

"If that’s truly what you believe-" Niall giggled a sugary laugh. "The only detail you had wrong was the ending. I’ve only been here so long because I’m waiting for a kiss."

Stunned. Zayn blinked, unmoving.

The boy leaned in, looking deep into Zayn’s eyes before closing the final distance, their lips crashing together, fighting and playing over each other.

Zayn’s hands uncurled as Niall’s fingers slipped in between his.

The two faces parted, Zayn swore he heard heaven’s music for a moment there.

"You bastard," Zayn breathed, smiling. "Playing me out like that"

"Played like a chord, Baby." Niall laughed, his head resuming it’s previous spot on Zayn’s chest.

The boy’s thumb idly rubbed over the skin of Niall’s hand, learning it’s softness and curves.

 

"So what does this mean now?" Niall finally said, startling Zayn out of the happy silence.

"Well, it means we can finally share one bunk, instead of you just invading mine all the time" Zayn giggled.

Niall smiled into the boys chest. Planting kisses to his collar bone.

"There’s going to be a lot of changes" Zayn continued, thinking it all out. "Telling the boys.."

Niall snorted a small laugh “I’m pretty sure they know”

"Yeah, probably." he nodded.

 

There would be changes for sure, but good ones. Changes that made things easier. Not having to pretend he wasn’t paying attention when Zayn’s hands stayed on Niall’s skin a second too long, or that their almost nightly “sleep overs” were for the sole purpose of convenience.

"I don’t have a car.. so, might as well just stay at yours, yeah?" Niall had said once.

But none of it mattered. They had each other now, and they already knew they had the undying support of their friends.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for readin!


End file.
